Café Shift Supervisor

Dover District Council has an exciting agenda to deliver first class public services, putting our residents at the heart of everything we do. From building new, affordable homes to exciting regeneration schemes. A career with Dover District Council offers you the opportunity to excel.

As an employer, Dover District Council is proud to provide a supportive, friendly, diverse and flexible working environment in which our employees can thrive. We have a team of enthusiastic employees, delivering services they are passionate about.

Are you an experienced catering hospitality professional with a passion for customer service, team leadership and food safety?

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Café Shift Supervisor to help lead the day-to-day operation of Kearsney Café and associated catering activities across Dover District Council sites

This is a hands-on supervisory role where you will lead by example actively participating in the preparation, production and service of food and beverages while supervising the day to day operation of the café.

The successful candidate will possess practical catering experience and be confident preparing a variety of menu items to a consistently high standard, including sandwiches, breakfast items, light lunches and baked goods. You will also be confident operating as a barista providing a range of hot and cold beverages and maintaining excellent standards of presentation and customer service.

Working within a busy and fast paced café environment, you will lead shifts and support the team to deliver an exceptional customer experience. When you are the shift leader you will be responsible for overseeing the service delivery ensuring compliance with food safety and allergen management procedures. Managing stock control and order processes, maintaining cleanliness, security, health and safety compliance.

Working closely with the Café Operations Manager, you will support menu development, help maintain strong financial controls and play a key role in developing and motivating the café team. You will be confident managing operational challenges, resolving customer concerns and leading by example to create a positive and welcoming environment for both customers and colleagues.

• Leading and coordinating daily café operations and service delivery.
• Delivering exceptional customer service and creating a welcoming visitor experience.
• Supervising, motivating and supporting staff during shifts.
• Taking an active hands on role in the preparation, production and presentation of food items sold within the café.
• Preparing and baking cakes and other baked goods in line with agreed recipes and quality standards
• Producing and serving a range of hot & cold beverages.
• Ensuring consistent food quality, portion control and presentation standards
• Managing staffing issues and responding to day-to-day operational challenges.
• Acting as the lead person on shift for allergen management, food labelling compliance and food safety.
• Monitoring stock levels, placing orders and reducing waste.
• Maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness, hygiene and presentation throughout the venue.
• Ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, food hygiene requirements and Council policies.
• Supporting employee training, coaching and development.
• Assisting with menu development and continuous service improvement.
• Managing cash handling, revenue recording and purchasing processes in line with Council procedures.
• Carrying out security procedures and helping maintain a safe environment for staff and visitors.

You will have experience in a supervisory role within hospitality, catering or food service and be passionate about delivering excellent customer experiences. Alongside proven leadership skills, you will possess strong practical catering abilities and enjoy working within a hands-on food preparation environment. Strong knowledge of allergen management, food labelling requirements, food hygiene and health and safety standards is essential.

You will be an effective communicator with the confidence to lead a team, solve problems and maintain high standards in a busy environment. Experience of stock control, budgeting, EPOS systems and staff training would be advantageous.

This role requires flexibility to work weekends, bank holidays and occasional evenings to support the needs of the service.

If you thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment and want to help deliver exceptional food, service and visitor experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

• 1-2 years' experience in a similar hospitality, catering or supervisory role.
• Excellent customer service skills with a passion for delivering outstanding visitor experiences.
• Experience preparing fresh food and menu items with a café, catering or hospitality environment.
• Experience of baking cakes and other similar products to a high standard
• Ability to lead by example through active participation in food preparation and service delivery
• Strong interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Good IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads and work effectively under pressure.
• Experience working in a customer-facing environment.
• A good understanding of health and safety requirements within a hospitality setting.
• Strong knowledge of food hygiene regulations, allergen management and food labelling compliance.
• A commitment to maintaining high standards of food quality and presentation.
• GCSEs (Grade 4-9/A-C) or equivalent in five subjects, including English and Maths.

This is a full-time annualised role averaging 37 hours per week. You would be required to work a flexible a shift pattern including weekdays, weekends and occasional evenings.

This role requires current full driving licence effective in the UK and use of a motor vehicle for business use, or the ability to get to sites in a timely manner equivalent to motor travel in your own car.

As your role requires the occasional use of Council‑owned vehicles, you will be required to complete a Pre‑Employment Medical Questionnaire through our Occupational Heath Provider.

If you would like a further discussion about the post then please contact Lorraine Lyons, Café Operations Manager at Lorraine.Lyons@dover.gov.uk

Interviews to be confirmed. We reserve the right to interview and appoint candidates throughout the recruitment process.

Early applications are strongly encouraged, as the vacancy may close once a suitable candidate is identified. The interview will be question-based.